New Releases for July 1, 2016

June 30, 2016

CDs + Vinyl:

American Authors – What We Live For CD (Island)

Second studio album from the American indie rock band. Well known for the single “Best Day Of My Life,” American Authors achieved worldwide recognition after that song was featured on TV shows, commercials, movies and video games. [Vinyl edition due July 22.]

The countrypolitan crooner Richard Edward Arnold – better known as Eddy Arnold – scored 147 U.S. chart hits between 1945 and 2008, sold over 85 million records, and earned inductions into the Country Music Hall of Fame and The Grand Ole Opry. Yet, in 1970, the superstar known as “The Tennessee Plowboy” found himself at a crossroads. That year, he released two remarkable albums ending one chapter in his career and beginning another. Love and Guitars would be his final full-length collaboration with Nashville-based producer and legendary guitar man Chet Atkins, with whom he had first worked in 1950. Standing Alone marked his first and only project with hip maverick Lee Hazlewood – a pairing which inspired some of the finest vocals Arnold ever

committed to record. Real Gone Music and Second Disc Records’ Each Road I Take: The 1970 Lee Hazlewood & Chet Atkins Sessions boasts both of these seminal, never-before-reissued albums together with Arnold’s singles from the landmark year, as well as two previously unreleased tracks produced by cult hero Hazlewood.

The Bob Baldwin love affair with Brazil began with his love of Antonio Carlos Jobim, Joao Gilberto and Sergio Mendes as a child. His love elevated when he witnessed the marriage of American funk/jazz and the samba/bossa nova sound which was later explored by the likes of Djavan, Ivan Lins, Elaine Elias, George Duke, Maurice White and Pat Methany. Fast forward, Baldwin follows up his popular Brazil Chill (2004) disc with more flavors from Rio, with covers by the aforementioned Djavan, Jobim and Lins. The result is a 20-song plus soundtrack through the eyes of this American… musically celebrating the year of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil.

Bat For Lashes – The Bride CD/2xLP (WB)

The Bride is a concept album that follows the story of a woman, whose fiancé dies in a car crash on the way to their wedding. The album follows her as she decides to go on the honeymoon alone and her emotions as she deals with the tragedy.

He’s one of the all-time great soul balladeers, with 58 pop and 38 R&B hits to his credit, and his beautiful baritone is one of the most recognizable voices in all of pop and soul music, but Brook Benton has never had any kind of collection devoted to his last great body of work, the Jimmy Bowen-produced sides he recorded for Reprise and the Arif Mardinproduced material he recorded for Cotillion during the late ’60s and early ’70s.

James Blake – The Colour In Anything CD (Republic)

New album from the UK singer/songwriter/producer with co-writing help from Frank Ocean and additional production by Rick Rubin. 17 tracks including “I Need A Forest Fire” featuring Justin Vernon aka Bon Iver. [Vinyl edition due August 5.]

Blink 182 – California CD/LP+MP3 (BMG Rights Management)

Seventh album from the punk-pop band, their first to feature Matt Skiba — who replaces original member Tom DeLonge — alongside Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker.

David Bowie – 1966: The Pye Singles CD (Sanctuary)

Digitally remastered 50th Anniversary edition of this mini album with new cover art. This set features the A and B-sides of the singles that David Bowie released on Pye Records in 1966. On that year when Bowie signed to Pye, The Monkees — and sole British member Davy Jones — had become popular so he switched from his birth name of David Jones to David Bowe.

Chelsea Grin – Self Inflicted CD/LP+MP3 (Rise)

New album from the deathcore band. [Limited copies pressed on color vinyl.]

Three-CD collection containing 41 tracks of performances from all four Crossroads Guitar Festivals, which were held in 2004, 2007, 2010 and 2013.

Culture Shock – Attention Span CD/LP (Alternative Tentacles)

A blend of ska, punk, dub and reggae that will appeal to sing-along music fans.

The Delfonics – 40 Classic Soul Sides 2xCD (Real Gone Music)

The biggest anthology ever afforded the trio that pioneered the Philadelphia Sound.

Patty Duke – The Complete Album Collection 2xCD (Real Gone Music)

There was a lot of competition in the mid- ’60s for the title of America’s Most Popular Teenager, but a convincing case can be made that Patty Duke was IT. Like so many teen stars before

and after her, stardom on television quickly translated into a recording contract and appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show, Shindig! And The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, resulting in four albums for United Artists, all of which are included here with bonus tracks.

Fates Warning – Theories Of Flight 2xCD/2xLP+CD (Inside Out U.S)

Twelfth studio album from the prog metal veterans. Features a bonus six-track acoustic disc.

GØGGS – GØGGS CD (In The Red)

Chris Shaw smokes the microphone while Ty Segall and Charles Moothart trade lizardian licks and skin hits. “Ten tracks of misanthropic noise to bring home to mom’s house on fire. Boots to your face after the high speed chase. A death trip down memory lane.” Guests include Cory Hanson, Mikal Cronin, and Denee Petracek. [Vinyl edition due July 15.]

Grace – FMA CD (RCA)

Debut album from the Australian vocal powerhouse. Album single “You Don’t Own Me” (featuring G-Eazy) is a throwback cover of Lesley Gore’s 1963 anthem. Produced by the godfather Quincy Jones, who also produced the original, the track is gaining momentum here in the US while topping carts in the UK and Grace’s native Australia.

Grave Desecrator – Dust To Lust CD/LP (Season Of Mist)

“Grave Desecrator teeters on the edge of war metal in their sound, but play too many actual riffs and shoot for more than being a third-rate Bathory clone. Dust To Lust goes back to the roots of war metal, and naturally their influential countrymen Sarcofago play a sizable role in shaping the sound here. Old Sepultura (pre-Arise) and old Slayer (pre-South Of Heaven) are large influences as well, with the latter noticeably informing the chaotic guitar solos.” – Angry Metal Guy

Wolf Hoffmann – Headbangers Symphony CD (Nuclear Blast)

11 tracks originally written by Beethoven, Vivaldi, Mozart and more, all interpreted through the amazing guitar playing of Wolf Hoffmann.

Iskra – Ruins CD (Southern Lord)

“Furious from the outset, this collection of 10 ripping tracks shows a band at the top of their game. Throughout the album there is never a dull moment; as soon as you stab play, you are greeted with what will persist for the next 40 minutes – a scornful yet immediately accessible mix of thrashy blackened crust. Comparisons to well-known bands (e.g. Skeletonwitch) are bound to occur, but honestly, there is more to this release that in-you-face blackened thrash.” – Toilet Ov Hell

Quincy Jones – Roots: The Saga Of An American Family [OST/Reissue/1977] CD (Varese Sarabande)

Digitally remastered edition of the original soundtrack to the groundbreaking 1977 mini-series. Highlights include the “Roots Mural Theme” composed by Gerald Fried and the 28-minute “Roots Suite” with Letta Mbulu as the featured vocalist. Also included are snippets of dialogue from Roots actor Lou Gossett. Featured players include Shelly Manne, Victor Feldman, Ernie Watts and Lee Ritenour.

The Lavender Flu – Heavy Air CD (Holy Mountain)

A home recording project completely open to experimentation but in love with songs, The Lavender Flu is masterminded by Chris Gunn (The Hunches, Hospitals). Their massive 30-song debut double-album Heavy Air was conceived over a period of years and outside of the genre concentration camps. Like Terrence Malick’s Tree Of Life remade by the ghost of Phillip K. Dick, it is psychedelic and dense, projecting sounds as images inside your head, layers and layers yielding new secrets with each listen. [Double vinyl edition was released late last January.]

Magic! – Primary Colors CD (RCA)

A band that knows their way around a catchy summer vibe, Magic! attempts to avoid the sophomore slump with new album Primary Colors. The set includes the single “Lay You Down Easy” which features Sean Paul.

Maxwell – blackSUMMERS’night CD/2xLP+MP3 (Columbia/Sony)

blackSUMMERS’night is the second installment of a musical trilogy that kicked off seven years ago.

Kate & Anna McGarrigle – Pronto Monto [Reissue/1978] CD (Omnivore)

Kate & Anna McGarrigle appeared on the scene in 1976 with their self-titled debut and a follow-up in 1977. While those two titles have been reissued throughout the years, their third album (which has been out of print since its initial vinyl release) has never been available on CD

or digitally. Despite its many charms, it’s probably been the least-heard Kate & Anna McGarrigle album. Pronto Monto (a play on the French for “take your coat”) appeared in 1978, and featured the sisters’ gorgeous vocals and impeccable songwriting, as well as covers and a new track

penned by the album’s producer David Nichtern — whose “Midnight At The Oasis” was nominated for multiple Grammys in 1975. Backing Kate & Anna on Pronto Monto were a veritable who’s who of studio aces including Grady Tate, Steve Gadd, David Spinozza, Tony Levin, Bernard Purdie, and others. This long-time-coming reissue features the release’s original 12 tracks, newly remastered by Grammy winner Michael Graves, as well as photos, lyrics, and a new essay from Mark Leviton from conversations/remembrances from Anna McGarrigle, David Nichtern, Lenny Waronker and Joe Boyd. Out of print for far too long, Pronto Monto finally reclaims its place in Kate & Anna McGarrigle’s stellar canon.

Nurse With Wound – Dark Fat 2xCD (United Jnana/Dirter)

“The latest entry into the monolithic Nurse With Wound catalogue is an absolute stonker. The restless, relentlessly creative force of nature that is Stephen Stapleton and company are in blistering form across this epic two-disc set. Dark, paranoid, claustrophobic, nightmarish soundscapes, gargantuan walls of intricate detailed sound, mangled krautrock jams, surreal, absurd, bizarre, mutant alien free jazz funk, sound collage, weird tape music and beyond. But then of course this is NWW and I’m kinda stating the obvious.” – Norman Records UK

Oasis’ fourth and sixth albums are back in print on both CD and on HQ-180gm vinyl.

Orb – Birth CD/LP (Castle Face)

The skies have opened and dropped a trio of kids from Geelong, Australia, packing some seriously futuristic sludge: Orb. A heaping helping of proto-metal chops meets paranoid sci-fi fantastical ravings, replete with some tasty synthesizer work that breaks it up just so.

Charlie Parker – Unheard Bird: The Unissued Takes 2xCD (Verve)

Co-produced and with detailed liner notes by Phil Schaap, the world’s pre-eminent Bird scholar, this collection features 58 previously unknown takes. These previously grounded performances provide unheard improvisations that, matched with their released editions, bring us into the working process of one of the greatest artists of our time. With 21 released masters providing context, this set dwarfs any previous Charlie Parker collection of rarities.

Raging Fyah – Everlasting CD/LP (VP)

“For the last couple of years we’ve been witnessing the reggae revival taking place in Jamaica. Up until now, that movement has been largely spearheaded by solo artists. However, Everlasting, the third album from the Jamaican five-piece Raging Fyah, breaks that mold, elevating the group into that same conversation of promising, young reggae revivalists from the Caribbean island that gave birth to the genre. It is an album that any fan of roots reggae will thoroughly enjoy.” – Brian Winters/The Pier

New album from the Israeli pop/punk band. State Is Burning marks a return to fast, energetic, galloping, youthful punk rock – hardcore punk rock – the music they originally fell in love with and what formed the basis for starting the band in the first place.

Van Zant – Red White & Blue (Live) CD (Loud And Proud)

The Van Zant clan from Jacksonville, Florida has been called The First Family of Southern Rock. Brothers Johnny (Lynyrd Skynyrd) and Donnie (38 Special) joined over 20 years ago to delve deep into the family’s country-tinged roots and formed Van Zant. The two were inspired by the fact that their late brother, Ronnie, the spiritual leader and original lead vocalist and chief songwriter for Lynyrd Skynyrd, had always wanted to do a country record. Red White & Blue (Live) is a recently unearthed live Van Zant show recorded on January 28, 2006 at Wild Adventures Theme Park in Valdosta, Georgia. One of the most telling lines from the title track, “Red White & Blue” – a song the Van Zant’s wrote but first appeared on Lynyrd Skynyrd’s 2003 album, Vicious Cycle – is, “We’re trying to sing the truth to you.” That line alone encapsulates exactly why the Van Zant’s have always had such a deep connection with their audiences. The Van Zant’s’ significant contribution to southern rock, country and popular music across the board have created an unparalleled legacy.

Young In All The Wrong Places finds the singer/songwriter embracing the role of frontwoman following the collaborations of Watkins Family Hour (featuring Sean Watkins, Fiona Apple and Benmont Tench) and Nickel Creek, the hugely successful group she first formed with her brother Sean and Chris Thile. Personal and revealing, she wrote or co-wrote each of the 10 songs — a first for her. The album was produced in Los Angeles by Gabe Witcher who arranged a stellar band including two of his fellow Punch Brothers, guitarist Chris Eldridge and bass player Paul Kowert, and additional musicians Jon Brion and Jay Bellerose. Sarah Jarosz and Aoife O’Donovan, Watkins’ bandmates in I’m With Her, provide harmonies on the title track while Jim James of My Morning Jacket guests on “One Last Time.” Benmont Tench is featured on keys.

Bulby York – Epic & Ting CD/LP (VP)

Now that Drake and Rihanna have eased you into the Danceball riddims to suit the warmer climates, we welcome you to make the full trek deep into Jamaican borders with Bulby York. The producer and engineer has worked with No Doubt, Rihanna, Britney Spears, and Madonna, but he earned his stripes with Sean Paul, Bounty Killer, and Beenie Man. He was fortunate enough to learn from one of music’s pioneers early on – King Tubby.

This Week’s Vinyl Exclusives:

Rafi Bookstaber – Late Summer LP (Woodsist)

New album from Bookstaber (who runs the Humito label and is a member of various other experimental/coo-able folk projects such as Death Chants, Von Himmel, and Aswara. Album single “We Can Find A Way” “emits a mirage of heavily layered guitars riding the late-afternoon heat, exploring the burnt-out suburban façade of American psychedelic rock from deep within a heady lagoon.” – Tiny Mix Tapes

The Cakekitchen – World Of Sand [Reissue/1991] LP (Dais)

The Cakekitchen – Time Flowing Backwards [Reissue/1991] LP (Dais)

25th anniversary vinyl reissues of the legendary New Zealand post-punk band’s first two albums.

Vinyl reissue of Nick Cave & The Bad Seed’s 14th studio album — the last album to feature founding member Mick Harvey, who left The Bad Seeds in 2009, and the second without founding member Blixa Bargeld.

Stelvio Cipriani – Rhythmical Movement LP+MP3 (Cinedelic)

Maestro Stelvio Cipriani is one of the most well-known and appreciated composers of Italian soundtracks, whose unmistakable style makes it one of the most appreciated and widely collected. A very rare album, Rhythmical Movement came out only as a promo-library LP for the legendary CAM in 1980. A jazz intro blooms into funk, soul, samba and disco, with nods back to Ciprani’s work on the classic La Mano Spietata Della Legge soundtrack.

Brett Dennen – Por Favor LP+CD (New Elektra)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. “On Brett Dennen’s sixth album, Por Favor, the California-based songwriter says he explores a ‘raw vulnerability.’ A relationship he was in had become rocky. His parents sold his childhood home. And changes in his professional life made for an uneasy state. ‘I wasn’t feeling good about myself or life,’ he says. ‘I was feeling kinda sad.’ It was fertile ground for writing, though. Dennen says ‘What’s The Secret?’ — the lead track on Por Favor — sets the tone for the album perfectly. It’s an upbeat number that fuses his folky style of the past with calypso sounds. Lyrically, though, it touches on what he’s been going through in the last year. ‘It’s a song about asking for help,’ he says. Dennen recorded the album in Nashville at Dave Cobb’s (Chris Stapleton, Jason Isbell) home studio in roughly two weeks last year, with a bulk of the sessions taking just five days. Dennen used analog equipment this time — a first for him — to get a more soulful, vintage sound.” – Wall Street Journal Arts

Altoist Paul Desmond and baritonist Gerry Mulligan always made for a perfect team during their infrequent collaborations. Both of the saxophonists had immediately distinctive light tones, strong wits, and the ability to improvise melodically. Here, on Two Of A Mind, the two masterful reed players are featured in pianoless quartets that also include Wendell Marshall, Joe Benjamin or John Beal on bass, and Connie Kay or Mel Lewis on drums. HQ-180gm.

The Double – Dawn Of The Double LP (In The Red)

“The Double’s vision of rock minimalism is more tied to both rock rhythm guitar and the drum’s more traditional role in rock’s invitation to dance. The Double’s music surely is not cerebral, but with only two instruments, no vocals, no real modulations, and no production tricks, the mind does tend to wander if you’re sitting and listening to it. What happens if you dance to it? The the beat is winding you up, and it clears your head – much like meditating, ironically, which associated with being seated and physically still.” – Alan Licht

Out All Night was lovingly conceived throughout several phases of grief and healing. Backed by core members of the psychedelic freak-jazz outfit Sunwatchers, Katiee shaped Out All Night into a mesmerizing mesh of spacious productions, deep-seated grooves, unexpected instrumentation, and abstracted storytelling. Katie Eastburn’s intriguing methods of stitching together stories couples well with the albums’ instrumentally disparate marriage of stirring ambient textures, art rock exploration, post-punk tension, with nods to electronic pop and R&B.

Les Halles – Transient LP (Not Not Fun)

French exoticist Baptiste Martin has been crafting fragile pastures of pa flute, field recordings, and stargazing keys as Les Halles since 2012, inspired by a formatively nostalgic night alone “watching the summer sky, thinking of all the mystery.” Few current crouched pedal-pushers channel ambient dimensions with such poise and blurry grace. Out of time meditations for a newer age.

Limited green vinyl reissue. The very first release on the legendary Arhoolie lable, from way back in 1960, is also the first for Texas acoustic blues great Mance Lipscomb who was a mere 65 years old at the time of its release. Classic country-blues from a master.

Martha – Blisters In The Pit Of My Heart LP (Dirtnap)

Over eleven expertly crafted pop songs, produced once again by MJ from Hookworms, Martha returns with their second album. Blisters In The Pit Of My Heart explores the difficulties in staying political, passionate and punk. Hailing from the small town of Pity Me, UK, Martha plays energetic, impassioned power pop with intricate vocals and lush four-part harmonies, informed by ‘90s indie rock and contemporary garage punk.

Cliff Martinez – Neon Demon [OST] LP+MP3 (Milan)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Director Refn turned once again to his frequent collaborator Cliff Martinez (Drive, Traffic) for scoring duties Martinez has created a powerful, modern tapestry of sound utilizing synthesizers as a framework for the dark corners and vibrant vistas that characterize L.A.. The soundtrack also features the dark electro piece “The Demon Dance” by Julian Winding, as well as “Mine” a pop track by Sweet Tempest. “Waving Goodbye,” an original song written by Australian singer Sia and produced by the Grammy Award-winning producer Diplo serves as a bookend to the album. Limited edition blue color vinyl.

Fred McDowell – Vol. 2 [Reissue/1966] LP (Arhoolie)

Blue color vinyl. Fred McDowell’s Vol. 2, originally released on Arhoolie in 1966 is one of the finest recorded examples of the Hill Country Blues style. With a distinctive and hypnotic guitar style McDowell powers through 12 tunes here, almost all originals.

MC5 – High Time [Reissue/1971] LP (Atlantic)

Limited vinyl pressing of the second studio album (and third album overall) by MC5, originally released in 1971 by Atlantic Records. Lenny Kaye, writing for Rolling Stone, called the album “the first record that comes close to telling the tale of their legendary reputation and attendant charisma.” In his retrospective review, Mark Deming called it “MC5’s most accessible album, but still highly idiosyncratic and full of well-written, solidly played tunes while less stridently political than their other work, musically it’s as uncompromising as anything they ever put to wax and would have given them much greater opportunities to subvert America’s youth if the kids had ever had the chance to hear it.”

Meat Market – Dig Deep LP (Recess)

While the Clash, and countless other classic punk bands, Alex and Jeff of Meat Market met in physics club. Instead of the usual ol’ boring tale of grabbing guitars and ditching school to become international recording artists, these cats tutored each other and kept their noses to the grindage.

Melvins – Basses Loaded LP (Ipecac)

Recently released on CD – now available The Melvins are one of the quirkiest groups around and are predictably unpredictable. Always keeping fans on their toes with lineup changes and varying degrees of sonic differences from album to album, they’ve mixed it up again with their newest record, Basses Loaded. The record features several guest bass players, giving credence to the album title’s pun. A total of six bassists laid down tracks on the album, including (in order of appearance) Steve McDonald (current Melvins live bassist), Jared Warren (Melvins, Big Business), Melvins drummer Dale Crover who is reprising his 1983 role with the group, JD Pinkus (Butthole Surfers), Trevor Dunn (Melvins Lite, Fantomas) and Krist Novoselic (Nirvana).

Moderat – Running 10” (Mute)

10” vinyl single featuring the title track from Moderat’s recent album III plus new track “90% Wasser.”

Vinyl reissues of the first two parts of Alva Noto’s five-album Xerrox series. Here, Alva Noto works with samples from muzak, advertising, soundtracks, and entertainment programs — sounds one hears randomly in everyday life in an ever-present and available kind of public domain, and manipulates these recognizable melodic (micro-)structures by the process of copying. He alienates them beyond recognition so the results manifest their connection to the original only suggestively. The results are both rhythmically complex and melodically beautiful.

Of Mice & Men – Live At Brixton 2xLP+CD (Rise)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. To tide you over until their new album hits Of Mice & Men deliver their first live album. Live At Brixton catches Of Mice & Men playing a sold-out headline show at the legendary O2 Academy Brixton in London. Limited color vinyl pressing with bonus DVD.

Thee Oh Sees – Live In San Francisco 2xLP+DVD (Castle Face)

“Perched in the belfry of The Chapel, we caught thee mighty Oh Sees, alive and in their natural element, with our shutters aflutter and our tapes on a roll.” [CD version due July 15.]

Hailing from Saginaw, Michigan, Question Mark and The Mysterians will forever be anointed as the garage band’s garage band, with all the bonafides collectors of ’60s cool cherish-the name, derived from a Japanese horror film; the sound, an insistent, three chord beat powered by that unmistakable Vox organ tone; and, of course, the sunglasses-shod Question Mark himself, who claims to have been born on Mars and lived among the dinosaurs in a past life. The band’s sophomore album has been remastered at 45rpm and pressed on yellow vinyl for this reissue.

Corinne Bailey Rae – The Heart Speaks In Whispers 2xLP (Capitol)

The Heart Speaks In Whispers is the third studio album by British singer/songwriter Corinne Bailey Rae. Recorded both at her studio in Leeds, and in Los Angeles, the album is co-produced by Corinne with Steve Brown, her collaborator on her critically acclaimed previous album The Sea. Guests include Pino Palladino (D Angelo, Erykah Badu, The Who), James Gadson (Marvin Gaye, Bill Withers), Marcus Miller (Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock), Esperanza Spalding and Moses Sumney (best known for his work with Beck). “Corinne Bailey Rae’s heart may speak in whispers, but it dreams in glorious Technicolor. The title of the Leeds-born songwriter’s new album is an echoey chorus line that swims among the layers of its opening track – a song with the bridge of a boiling ocean that hints at dance-pop beats, reinvention. Fans concerned, from that giddy opener, that new love and a six-year hiatus have turned Bailey Rae into a generic pop artist should hang on for the second track. ‘Hey, I Won’t Break Your Heart’ is a gentle, soulful hymn to second chances, small enough for the jazz clubs until its lush backing vocals – which wouldn’t sound out of place on a Supremes record – kick in.” – The Art Desk

Sick Puppies – Fury LP (DrillDown Entertainment)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Considered as Australian rock ‘n’ roll royalty, Sick Puppies return with their fourth album and first since the departure of frontman Shimon Moore. Their tenacious work ethic, perseverance and groove-ridden tracks have paved the way to their sharing the stage with Deftones, Evanescence, Breaking Benjamin, Incubus, Tool and more. About Fury, new guitarist/vocalist Bryan Scott recently told Guitar World, “this is a raw, empowering album that’s full of emotion. There are a few different themes to it, but a lot of it connects to us personally—and especially single, ‘Stick To Your Guns.’ It really relates to what we’re doing. It’s a song about perseverance.” He continued, “this album is more than just meeting and starting a new vibe. It was about pouring every ounce of energy and emotion we have into these songs. We wrote a lot of songs for this album and chose the ones someone could listen to from beginning to end without skipping a track.”

Small World Experience – Shelf-Life LP (Siltbreeze)

Originally seeing the light of day as a CD-only release in 1994, Shelf-Life was the debut long player from the excellent Small World Experience, a Brisbane outfit virtually unknown north of the equator. The band exudes wry, post-pop charms, very much in the spirit of once-upon-a-time Brisbane acts such as Bo Betweens, Four Gods and even The Saints. Throw in an affinity for Jimmy Webb and the Monkees’ Headquarters album.

Innovative and influential NYC band’s sought-after first two albums, back in print on vinyl. It is hard to overstate the importance of the seven tracks on Suicide, which paved the way for punk, industrial, hip-hop, noise and beyond. Originally released in 1980, Alan Vega MartinRev features an array of glistening keyboards and early preset rhythm machine sounds whose harsh simplicity

suggests the discreet zones and confined movements of urban life.

Thursday – Kill The House Lights [Reissue/2007] LP (Victory)

Like Fugazi, Snapcase and Refused before them, New Brunswick, NJ’s Thursday became the model for other bands to follow. They helped forward punk rock by redefining it without losing its initial aesthetic. Relive the story of Thursday with this fantastic 2007 archive compilation of music recorded between 1997-2007 which traces the band’s humble beginnings in the basements of America all of the way to international acclaim. Plus, hear three brand new studio tracks, recorded especially for this historic release. This is an essential offering for any Thursday fan and a must-have for fans of punk rock.

Toys That Kill – Sentimental Ward CD/LP+MP3 (Recess)

Fifth album from the San Pedro punk band.

Keith Urban – Ripcord LP (Capitol Nashville)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Ninth album from the country superstar.

Walter – Poetics Of Space b/w Like The Fly 7” (Famous Class)

Staying true to the interwoven nature of the current Los Angeles music scene, Walter is a group sewn together from different projects (Meatbodies, Sadgirl, Ducktails) bent on staking its own claim on the music their city is known for. The trio utilizes the stripped down format of guitar/bass/drums to blend Southern California heaviness with quieter, more subtle moments. Pretending like the guitar solo never went out of style in the first place, Walter serves up its own unique flavor of unabashed, self-depreciating smart rock.

Cassettes:

Les Halles – Sentient (Not Not Fun)

Exclusive companion EP to the Transient LP. French exoticist Baptiste Martin has been crafting fragile pastures of pa flute, field recordings, and stargazing keys as Les Halles since 2012, inspired by a formatively nostalgic night alone “watching the summer sky, thinking of all the mystery.” Few current crouched pedal-pushers channel ambient dimensions with such poise and blurry grace. Out of time meditations for a newer age.